Finance Minister Christian Lindner, whose FDP party is losing ground in the polls, has once again raised the debate of fracking for natural gas. The proposal could crack the governing coalition, as well as the bedrock.

The windfall levy on energy companies that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is proposing could make billions of euros available to cushion the blow of soaring energy costs. That's likely to come as welcome news to many households.

The European Commission’s energy supremo, Estonian Kadri Simson, recently visited Ukraine to discuss what can be done to help energy infrastructure damaged in Russian missile attacks. She details plans to transfer specialised machinery and devices to Ukraine through a dedicated fund. The Commissioner also updates us on the negotiations among EU member states on a possible price cap on gas imports – a potential response to Europe's energy crisis.

Halfway through the COP27 UN climate summit in Egypt, the latest Climate Change Performance Index shows where countries stand in terms of climate protection measures. Right at the top: Denmark, Sweden and Chile.

CO2 shortages caused by high energy prices are hitting the food and beverage industry hard. Breweries are taking some of the biggest hits.

As the World Congress Against the Death Penalty is underway in Berlin, many African countries are witnessing a fall in the number of state executions.

Rising gas and oil prices have plunged Europe into its worst energy crisis in decades. France has been hit hard, but perhaps not for the reasons you would expect. Nuclear and hydroelectric power, the country's main sources of electricity, are both running out of steam. Has the French energy mix hit a breaking point? We take a closer look in this edition of Down to Earth.

France has become the first country to tender out industrial-size floating offshore wind farms. The floating platforms are more promising than existing renewables but still have some hurdles to overcome.

Talks are taking place in Brussels on a proposal to set the ceiling for the price of Russian natural gas at €275 per megawatt hour. The plan has come under criticism from all sides for either being too complicated, too high or unnecessary.

As we wrestle with an energy crisis, should we turn on the lights to cheer ourselves up? DW asked people at Berlin's Botanical Garden what they think of the fine line between festivity and sustainability.

The inflation rate in Europe's top economy dropped to 10% for November, preliminary data from Germany's federal statistics agency Destatis showed. This comes after hitting a record high in October.

A Swiss company has built what is being called a giant water battery deep under the Alps that provides energy storage capacity equivalent to 400,000 electric car batteries. It could be a game-changer.